foment

[ foh-ment ]

verb (used with object)

1. to instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the growth or development of:

   to foment trouble; to foment discontent.

   Synonyms: provoke, incite, stimulate, encourage, excite, inflame, arouse

2. to apply warm water or medicated liquid, ointments, etc., to (the surface of the body).

foment

/ fəˈmɛnt; ˌfəʊmɛnˈteɪʃən /

verb

1. to encourage or instigate (trouble, discord, etc); stir up
2. med to apply heat and moisture to (a part of the body) to relieve pain and inflammation

Usage

Both foment and ferment can be used to talk about stirring up trouble: he was accused of fomenting/fermenting unrest . Only ferment can be used intransitively or as a noun: his anger continued to ferment (not foment ); rural areas were unaffected by the ferment in the cities

Derived Forms

• fomentation, noun
• foˈmenter, noun

Other Words From

• fo·menter noun
• unfo·mented adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of foment¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fomenten, from Late Latin fōmentāre, verbal derivative of Latin fōmentum “soothing application, poultice,” contraction of unattested fōvimentum, equivalent to fōv(ēre) “to keep warm” + -i- -i- + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of foment¹

C15: from Late Latin fōmentāre , from Latin fōmentum a poultice, ultimately from fovēre to foster

Example Sentences

Brand safety isn’t a new topic with 2021, but it’s taking on more importance as companies work to avoid any potential fallout from being seen parallel to extremist political movements that have fomented on social media platforms like Facebook.

From Search Engine Land

He complained of election fraud before anyone had even voted, and he fomented that lie afterward in his defeat.

From Vox

We must not allow an American president to walk away without repercussions for the violence and insurrection he fomented.

From Washington Blade

The Lincoln Project will also target advertising for these corporations’ workers, hoping to “destabilize the companies’ operations by fomenting employee rebellions,” said Steve Schmidt, co-founder of the Lincoln Project.

From Washington Post

Following reports of genocide in Myanmar, Facebook banned the country’s top general and other military leaders who were using the platform to foment hate.

From MIT Technology Review

More importantly, he has frustrated other separatists and those who would foment separatist movements, like China and Russia.

From The Daily Beast

Given all of this, Iran is apparently disinclined to foment a political rebellion against Maliki among the Shia.

From The Daily Beast

They can exacerbate splits within a ruling leadership, foment popular unrest, or expedite a dwindling current account.

From The Daily Beast

The Cubans claim Gross was a spy who was trying to foment revolution.

From The Daily Beast

We tried to foment one against Hamas after it won democratic elections among the Palestinians in 2006.

From The Daily Beast

Jenny brought in a large basin of warm water and began to foment it first, touching it so tenderly.

From Project Gutenberg

There will always be barbarians and cheats who will foment intolerance; but they will not avow it—and that is something gained.

From Project Gutenberg

They have also a pious ambition for religious ascendancy, and do what they can to foment a holy zeal against Nonconformists.

From Project Gutenberg

There is one thing that would ease the pain and heal the leg all the sooner, and that is plenty of hot water to foment the part.

From Project Gutenberg

Riel, the leader, escaped, to return later and foment another outbreak in 1885.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abet
• arouse
• brew
• incite
• whip up